Improved washing-machine



sebbo inl ,tiene .IAMES M. AUSTINQOF GEORGE'IOWN, MISSOURI, ASSlGNOR TO HIM- SELFY AND JOHN P. DEARDOFF, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 89,377, dated April 27, 1869.

IMPROVED WAsHINMAcHI'NB.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

... HQH- a- To all Iwhom -it may concern Beit known that 1', J Anas M. AUSTIN, of Georgetown, in the county oi` Pettis, and State of Missouri, have invented a new and improved Washing-Machine and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specilication.

The object of this invention is to furnish a new and improved means for adjustably supporting the swinging, or pivoted frame carrying the feed-rollers, as see'n in that class of washingmachine to which my invention belongs; and

lt consists in combining a bent pivoted rod with said frame and feed-rollers, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Figure l represents a plan view of my improved machine.

Figure 2 represents a sectional elevation of the saine on the line :c a, of fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents a tub, supported on legs, in an inclined position, as represented in fig. 2.

B represents a reciprocating wash-board, arranged to, slide upon an elevated bottom, C, of the said tub, and provided with corrugations on its upper face.

The board works between guides, D D, secured to the bottom ot the tub, which proj ectthrough the highest side of the tub, and form, at the outer projecting ends, the bearings for the crank-shaft by which the said board is reoiprocated, the slotted stern E of the same being suspended on the shaft, and provided with friction-bowls, F, which are actuated by the camshaft G.

H represents a frame, pivoted to the posts at I, and arranged to rest on the upper faceof the guides D, and is provided with an apron, K, and iced-rollers, L L', one of which is iixed in its position, and the other, L', is adjustable, and is maintained in contact with the other, or with the clothes, when they are between them, by the springs M.

The feed-roller L is provided with a ratchet-wheel, L2, on one end, whereby motion is communicated to it by the pawl-rod L3, which is connected to the crank- S la t. I

N represents a bent hand-lever, for raising the pawl out of contact with the ratchet-wheel.

The ears, or slides I, to which the said frame H is pivoted, are arranged in grooves in thc posts of the tub, and arranged so that they may be adjusted in height to accommodate the posit-ion of thc feed-rollers to the thickness ot' the clothes to be operated on.

The said slides are'maintained in the desired position by the pins I.

A hot-water tub, O, provided with the forked springsupp-'nts l), an opening, Q, and gate, q,i`or regulating.

the flow of water, and also, with a water-shed, It, is suspended, by the said spring-supports, ou the highest side of the tub A, at any suitable height, from which the water, suitably prepared, is allowed to iiow upon the clothes, while underthe action of the board and rollers, near the point of such action.

S represents a bent rod, pivoted to the guides D,

Vnear the bottom thereof', and rising upward between theI ends of the .feed-rollers, and, for a short distance, is curved to the\"`arc of the circle described by the point oi' contact of the said fced-rollers, in swinging on the centre of motion of the said frame.

The said ends of the feed-rollers, at the point where the said rod passes between them, are so reduced in size that they do not bear on the said rod, and are therefore free to act on the clothes that may pass between them, however thin they may be. But, as the said rod becomes straight a short distance above the working position of the rollers, when the frame is raised up so that the ends oi' the rollers are brought into contact with the said straight part, it will be so inclined from the true circle described by the said rollers, that it will occupy more space between them, and will bear with such force against the fixed roller, as to maintain, by i'rictional action on the said rollers, the frame in any desired elevated position.

To operate the machine, the clothes are spread on the apron K, and one end placed between the feed-l rollers, when the water is allowed to flow from the tub O in sufficient amount, and the crank-shaft set in motion, which will actuate the feed-rollers L, and thereby gradually feed the clothes down on to the reciprocating wash-board B, by which they will be rubbed alternately against each of the rollers.

When the clothes have been fed to some extent through the rollers, they will work down over the rounded end of the board into the space between it and the lower side of the tub, when they will be nally delivered.

When it is desired to rub any particular part of the clothes to any greater extent than will occur in passing regularly through the machine, the feed-pawl L3 is taken out of contact with the ratchet by the hand-lever N, when that portion ot' the clothes is in the proper position to be acted on by the board and the rollers. o

rllhe frame H may at any time be raised up to adjust the clothes, or for any other purpose.

I am aware the several devices herein shown, separately considered, are not new; but having thus described nly invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- I The combination, with the swinging-frame and rollers, of the bent rod S, substantially as and for the purpose described.

The above specification of my invention signedby me, this 8th day of October, 1868.

. JAMES M. AUSTIN.

Witnesses a B. P. EDWARDS, WM. J. Shfrrnnwnrrn. 

